Drive or Fly: New Berlin, WI to River Falls, WI?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for MKE–MSP. At 300 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 33m

Distance

300.8 mi

Total Cost

$101

CO2

122 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$66

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 31m

31m in the air

Air Distance

260 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Berlin, WI → MKE 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → River Falls, WI 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New Berlin, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

River Falls, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSP. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 2m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 50m

5h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Berlin, WI → General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 325m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → River Falls, WI 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~14m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 48m

6h on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Berlin, WI → Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 360m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → River Falls, WI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 5 mi, ~10m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 33m	3h 31m	6h 50m	6h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$101	$185	$51	$29
Carbon footprint	122 kg CO₂	66 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Berlin, WI to River Falls, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.